kropacz



J. KROPACZ.

AERONAUTICDEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1919.

Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOI? fflize, .rqparz.

J. KROPACZ.

AERONAUTIC DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, I919.

Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KROPACZ, OF CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 JOSEPH JAKURIGZ, 0F CALGARY, ALBERTA, GANADA.

AERONAUTIG DEF] ICE.

Application filed February 5, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN Knorecz, a citizen of Austrian Poland, residing at Calgary, Province of Alberta, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeronautic Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in aeronautical devices, and has as its principal object the provision of means whereby a person may be enabled to fly in the manner of a bird.

A further object is to provide such devices in forms which may be readily engaged with the wearing apparel of the operator, and having combined therewith, means for assisting the operation of the wing structure.

A further object is to provide an inflatable sack, engageable with the garment, adapted to be filled with gases lighter than air, whereby the operator may float or rise with a minimum of physical exertion.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which-- Figure 1 is a rear elevational view showing the application of the device, and indicating its operation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. F1g. 3 IS a longitudinal sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale, the section being taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 2 or 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4:, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification of the gas holders.

The device is shown to be comprised of a garment combining a skirt portion 10, with a waist 11, extending from the shoulders 12, with which are formed sleeves 14, receptive of the arms of the operator, the garment having the usual opening 15, for the neck of the operator.

Engaged within the lower portion of the waist and skirt of the garment is an in flatable sack 18, containing a chamber 19, adapted to be filled through a valve opening 20 in its lower portion. The outer surface of the sack 19, has its entire area secured to the inner surface of the garment, while the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 275,079.

inner wall of the sack is unsecured and free to be expanded as the sack is inflated, the arrangement being such that when the same is filled with hydrogen or other like lighter than air gas, it has the effect of materially reducing the weight of the operator in action.

Secured upon the shoulders 12, are brackets 22, and hingedly engaged in these brackets, on the pins 23, are the inner ends of wing like elements 25, the same being concavo-convex in cross section, their convex sides upward, while in plan view or profile they are ovoid in contour. These wings are adapted to be operated by the hands of the operator, grasping handles 26, secured at the highest point within the concave wings and at such a distance to be conveniently operated.

Rigidly attached. to the inner ends of the wing elements, are inwardly extending rods 28, bent outwardly to the rear forming arms 29, and then turned inwardly so that their extremities pass, and pivoted to these ends are links 31, converging at a point below the neck, and connected by a pivot 82, with a rod 33 entering a cylindrical tube 34, and having fixed in its upper end a piston or plunger 35, movable freely within the tube and normally held outward, due to the effect of a coiled compression spring 36.

Thus, as the wings are moved upwardly, the connecting elements 29 and 31 act in the manner of levers, pressing the plunger 35 downwardly within the tube against the pressure of the spring 36, so that the lifting effect of the wings is materially enhanced by the spring in their downward movement.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, in place of the sack 18, a plurality of independent pockets 40, are secured to the inner side of the garment, and connected by tubes 41 which may be inflated through the valve ends 42 individually, so that should damage occur to any of the inflatable elements, it would not extend beyond those connected by the tubes, the adjacent pockets remaining inflated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device of the character described comprising a garment, a plurality of in flatable pockets in said garment arranged in series, means for connecting the pockets of each series, brackets on the shoulder parts of said garments, Wings concavo-convex in cross section and ovoid in contour hinged with their inner ends to said brackets, handles in said Wings for operating the same, a cylindrical tube on the back of said garment, a plunger in said tube and a coiled compression spring in said tube below said plunger for normally holding the same outward, and

connections between said plunger and said 10 In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 15 signature.

JOHN KROPACZ. 

